It has been some time but the Brumbies are back in the winners circle with a 24-17 win over the Sharks in Canberra tonight.
It wasn’t pretty by any means but at this point of the season the win is crucial to get the Brumbies season back on track following two disappointing losses in a row.
It was the boot of Wahrenui Hawera that won it for the home side with four penalty goals, including three from long range. There were still some issues around the set piece with starting hooker Folau Fainga’a struggling at times at lineout time and some execution at times letting them down, especially on attack in the Sharks 22.
The Match
The Brumbies started off the scoring with a penalty goal from 53m to Wharenui Hawera in the sixth minute.
The combination of Hawera and Lealiifano looked to give the Brumbies better direction and shape and they looked to stretch the Sharks defence by taking on the line before attempting to get the ball out wide with Lausii Taliauli getting involved.
It was that man Taliauli who scored the opening try after 18 minutes as the ball went wide to go a long way to justifying his selection this week. The Brumbies had dominated the field position for long periods and it was a good reward and something that Dan McKellar said had been lacking as he made six changes to the starting side for this week.
The scrum was a real battle with both sides getting on top at times with a number of penalties to each side as they attempted to assert their dominance.
Robert du Preez got the Sharks on the board with a penalty goal in the 30th minute as the run of penalties starting going their way.
Just before half time, the Brumbies went down to 14 men as Lachlan McCaffrey copped a yellow card from Glen Jackson with both sides struggling to keep their discipline with eight penalties apiece in the opening half.
The Brumbies scored their second try to Henry Speight early in the second half to make it 15-3 after some patient buildup that was lacking earlier in the game and a throwback to the style that had served them well in the past was rumoured to the be order of the night.
Then it was the Sharks who got the momentum going their way as the Brumbies again went down to 14 men as Allan Alaalatoa copped the wrath of Glen Jackson after a warning just minutes earlier on their own line.
It took the Sharks three attempts to get over the line as the Brumbies defence hung on but eventually their extra number counted as Thomas du Toit burrowed over from close range.
Hawera added another penalty after a scrum infringement and then brought out the driver from the halfway mark for a second not long after the make the margin 11 and some breathing room.
The Sharks looked to attack deep from their own line but a penalty for a push and shove after a Sharks player stepped into touch allowed Hawera to again step up from long range and show why he got the kicking duties ahead of Christian Lealiifano with another from 43 metres to all but seal the game.
With time almost up the Sharks threw it wide and fullback Curwin Bosch showed good pace to get around Tom Banks to score and du Preez’s conversion from wide out ensured a tense finish but the Sharks couldn’t go the distance and conceded the match winning penalty after the final siren to leave it 24-17.
[one_third last=”no”]
The Game Changer
The Brumbies were always in front but Speight’s try early in the second half, combined with Hawera’s long distance kicking display kept them at arms length.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]
The G&GR MOTM
Wharenui Hawera knocked over four penalty goals and combined well with Chrisitan Lealiifano. Lachlan McCaffrey looked good throughout but the unfortunate yellow card blotted his night[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]
Wallaby Watch
Henry Speight had a decent game with a try and even pushing in a scrum that earned a penalty. A quiet night for Tevita Kuridrani but showed glimpses of what his capable of. Isi Naisarani had another strong game and proving his worth doing a lot of the gritty forwards work.[/one_third]
The Details
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”]BRUMBIES 24
Tries: Taliauli, Speight
Conversions: Hawera
Penalties: Hawera 4
[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]SHARKS 17
Tries: du Toit, Bosch
Conversions: du Preez 2
Penalties: du Preez
[/one_half]
Cards
36 mins – McCaffrey (Brumbies) – Yellow
53 mins – Alaalatoa (Brumbies) – Yellow
